Machine for aerial navigation



Aug. 3 1928.

F. DU B. JAQUETTE MACHINE FOR AERIAL NAVIGATION Filed April 28 1925' 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 F. nu B. JAQUETTE v mamas rfon Ariana NAVIGATION I FiledApril 28, 1925 4 Shegts-Sheet' 5 Aug. 3 1926.

x F. DU B. JAQUETTE MACHINE FOR AERIAL NAVIGATION Filed April 28, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 W m W I w .w w m a NM \w Q\ N 2 h\ Patented Aug. 3, 1926.

nsane FRANK DU .8. JAQUETTE, or ALTA, MONT NA.

MACHINE FOR AERIAL NAVIGATION Application filed April as, 1925.. Seria1 N'o.2'6,502.

This invention relates to aerial navigation and relates more particularly. to the propelling mechanism, the object being to provide an eflicient mechanism by the use of which the ascent of the machine will be quickly accomplished and the descent thereof may be made safely. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter fully set forth. 1 p In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view, partly broken away, of an air-navigating machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end parts in section;

Figs. 3 and 4 are side elevations of the blade or vane-carrying wheels showing the position of the blades or vanes at difierent stages in the operation of the device;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a similar view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3. p

Fig. 7' is an enlarged detail view of the blade in part section.

The body 1 of the inachinemay be of any standard or approved type and isequipped with landing wheels 2 asis now the usual practice. A motor, indicated conventionally at 8, is mounted in the body and is geared toa front propeller 4 and a rear propeller 5 in order to control the movements of the machine. Rising from the body is anupper frame 6 and in the top of said frame are piv- 'otally mounted transversely disposed plates 7 which constitute rudders whereby the ma chine will be directed into an ascent or a descent. These rudders may be manipulated from a point within the body of the machine through a lever, indicated at 8, and belt and pulleygearing, indicated at 9, connecting the lever in an obvious mannner with the pivots of the rudders. If the rudders be tilted so that their under surfaces are pre sented to the wind, the machine will, of course, be directed into an ascent and, if they be tilted so as to present their upper surfaces to the wind, the machine will be directedinto a descent. When the rudders are set horizontally, the machine will maintain an even keel. I

Secured to the body 1 in any convenient or preferred manner and extending to the opposite sides thereof are a plurality of frames viewof the same with 10, in the outer ends of which are, carried gangs of propellers each consisting of a plurality of blades or vanes 11 and controlling wheels 12 and 13connected therewith. In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated these propellers arranged to operate invertical planes so that theyexert force to lift the machine and maintainit in the air, but it is to be understood that they may be arranged, without departing from the invention, to operate in horizontal planes so that they will exert force to propel the machine in either direction. The supporting frames 10 are, of course, rigidlyconnected' with the sides of the body 1: In the outer ends of the frames are secured supporting bars, each of which consists of an end member 14; angular in cross section so that it may fit within the extremity of the frame and be held therein againstrotation. Immediately adjacent this end portion is a bearing portion 15 of circular cross section upon which a wheel 12 is mounted for free rotation,

while at the inner end of the said bearing portion. is an offset or crank 16 which ex tends in a plane parallel with the plane of the respective wheels 12 and 13 and between said wheels, asshown most clearly in Fig. 5.

At the end ofthe offset, or crank 16, an elongated portion 18 extends inwardly parallel withthe bearing member 15, and this elongated portion'18 is circular in .cross section so as to provide abearing for wheel 13, as shown in Fig. 5. The construction just described is duplicated at the'opposite side of the propeller device, it being understood that the wheels 12 and 13 are provided in pairs with each pair of ,wheels 13 the hub of the being disposed between the wheels 12 constituting a pair, as will be readily understood upon reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings. To facilitate the assembling of the parts, the member 18 is divided and the op posed meeting ends of the axially alined portions 18 are connected by a coupling sleeve 19, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. To reduce the frictional wear and resistance, antifriction members 20 are providedwithin the hubs of the severalwheels 12 and 13 to run upon the bearing supports 15 and 18, as will be readily understood- A sprocket wheel 21 is secured to or side of the hub member of each' wheel 12, and these sprocket wheels are operatively ibers 33 v be covered with fabric,

connected by chains 22 with a driving shaft, indicated at 23, mounted within or upon the body 1 and driven from the motor 3, as will be understood upon reference. to Figs. 1 and 2.

At intervals in the rim of eachwheel 12 are provided sockets 24 constituting bearings for the pintles 25. providedat the outer ends of cranks 26, which cranks are provided with similar pintles or bearing members 27 adjacent their free ends, the ,alined pintles 27 being connected-by a bar 28 which is of angular cross section and upon which the blades Or vanes 11 are mounted so that, while the blades or vanes may revolve around the center of the wheel 13, they will be held against rotation about their own taxes. The cranks 26 are of the same length as the cranks 16 and, of course, extend in the same direction so that all the cranks lie in parallel. planes at all times but the outer cranks '26 may be somewhat lighter than the inner cranks 16, as will be understood upon refer-- ence to Figs. 5 and 6. The wheels 12 and 13 may be ofany preferred construction and are illustrated as consisting of" a circular rimconnected with the centralhub through spokes, this'construction being light and possessing suflicient strength but, if desired, the wheels may be of disk'form.

Each. blade or vane includes a box 30 which is clamped upon the bit-r 28 adjacent the rim of the "respective wheel 13 and thereby holds the wheel against lateral movement, and a stop collar '31 is secured upon .the supporting member 18 adjacent the hub of the wheel for the same purpose. Secured to the boxes 30 and preferably integral therewithis a base bar32 to the upper edge of which is secured a side frame 33 constituting the end member of a blade or vane. The upper ed'gesfof the side memarearcuate'and they-may, desired, as indicated at 34. between. side Extending transversely v and a fabrlc covermembers 33 are bars 35' ing 36 is extended between adjacent bars alternating with valves or doors 37 which likewise extend between adjacent bars, as shown most clearly in Fig. .7 L These valves or doors 37 may .be of sheetmetal and are hinged at one edge adjacent vone'b ar '35 and connected with the next succeeding bar 35 by .a chain or other flexible connection 38. "During the downward movement of a blade or vane, thedoors or valves'37 will'be "held in the closed position shown, in F ig, 7 by the pressure of the air sothat the blade will exert a lifting force upon the machine but, 'whenfthefblade is moving upwardly,

the pressure-will-cause the valves to swing downwardly to the limit of-the connections 88 so "that the resistanceto the upward movement of the blade will be minimized. It will be seen at once th'atjthe lil'ades or frame, a crank member secured whereby rotation openings therethrough, and

vanes areprovided in gangs which are sup ported between wheels disposed eccentrically to the p'owentransmi'tting wheels, the inner cranks 16 forming the main supporting members for the blade-carrying wheels and the outer cranks '26 constituting connections whereby the rotation of the propelling wheels-I2 will be transmitted to the bladecarrying wheels 13 to effect travel of the blades or vanes about the axes of the wheels while retaining the eccentric relation of the wheels and causing the blades to maintain a horizontal position at all times. It will be readily seen that, when the blade or vane is traveling above or below the center of the propelling wheels, it is moving principally forwardly or rearwardly so that it encounters minimum resistance from the air and, wh'e'n'it is at the side of the wheel, it 'encounters the maximum resistance from the 8 air so that when it is moving downwardly it utilizes the pressureqto sustain the ma chine in flight and when itfis moving upwardly the valves 37 open so as to minimize the resistance "and permit vanes to move easily. It: will 'be understood, of course, that the propellers may be set torotate any "desired direction.

Having. thus described the invention, I claim? "'1; The combination of a supporting rigidly in said frame, power wheels mounted for free rotationpn the end portions ofthe crank member, a' pair of wheels mounted for free 100 rotation upon the central portion of saidcrank member, crank members connecting the rims of the first-mentioned wheels with fthe rims of the"secondsmentioned wheels at intervals and rotatably engaged in. both 105 rims, and vanes securedon the last-mentioned crank members between the secondmentioned wheels and held against rotation on said crank members.

I 2. The combination of a frame, a pair .of wheels mounted thereon, a second pairof wheels mounted between the first-mentioned wheels ineccentric relation connections between the wheels of wheels will effect simultaneous rotation of the second-mentioned "wheels about their .respect Ye' fi lies, vanes carrledfby and between 'the second-mentioned wl1eels and held thereto,

against rotation about their own axes, said 1 vanes having arcuate. tops provided with downwardly opening valves on said tops normally closing the openings. 3

, 3. In a: machine for aerial navigation,the 1 -conib1nat1on of a supporting frame, a crank member secured insaid frame, power wheels mounted for free IOtfltlOIl upon the end portions of saidcrank member, a *pair of wheels mounted for free rotation about the the blades or 99 I supporting :the first-mentioned 11 central portion of said crank member, crank members connecting the peripheries of the wheels at intervals, frames secured to the last-mentioned crank members between the second-mentioned Wheels and held against rotation about said crank members, said frames having arcuate upper portions, a

covering secured upon the arcuate upper portions of said frames and having openings therethrough, and downwardly opening valves mounted below said covering and normally closing said openings.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRANK DU B. JAQUETTE. [1,. s.] 

